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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. swing — music
  6. rash — hasty
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. race — a contest
  9. race — the arms race
  10. board — a committee
  11. board — to get on
  12. wax — to grow
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. swing — to play on
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. ground — a position
  19. rash — a series
  20. race — humankind
  21. swing — in golf
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. ground — crushed

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com